![The Creators: [L-R] Tamara Asmar, Anna Barnes, Sarah Bassiuoni, Glen Dolman, Michelle Offen, Jessica Tuckwell, Monica Zanetti. Images supplied.](https://www.screenhub.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/07/the-creators.webp?w=1000)
The Creators: quick links
Screen Australia and the Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG) have announced the seven screenwriters chosen for the 2025 edition of The Creators, a professional development program designed to support and elevate Australian writers as they transition into showrunner roles.
Now in its third year, the initiative provides advanced training in creative leadership, project development and pitching for international and domestic markets.
The Creators 2025 cohort:
- Tamara Asmar (NCIS: Sydney, Love Me, In Limbo)
- Anna Barnes (Safe Home, The Twelve, Content)
- Sarah Bassiuoni (Critical Incident, House of Gods, The Secrets She Keeps)
- Glen Dolman (Bloom, I Met A Girl, The Bill)
- Michelle Offen (East West 101, Hyde & Seek, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries)
- Jessica Tuckwell (Bump, Fake, Year Of)
- Monica Zanetti (While the Men Are Away, Ellie & Abby (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt), Iggy & Ace)
Led by Emmy Award-winning showrunner Jeff Melvoin (Northern Exposure, Killing Eve, Designated Survivor), the program offers WGA-style (that’s Writer’s Guild of America) training that Melvoin pioneered in the US.
Melvoin will return to Sydney in October to guide participants through an intensive, bespoke curriculum.
The Creators: unique opportunity
‘The Creators provides a unique opportunity for Australian screenwriters to hone their craft, build important connections and develop their distinctive projects,’ said Screen Australia’s Head of Development, Bobby Romia.
‘We’re proud of this partnership and can’t wait to see what this talented cohort achieves.’
ScreenHub: Inside the writers’ room
AWG President Peter Mattessi echoed the sentiment, highlighting the growing demand for creative leadership in the local sector: ‘This program continues to deliver outstanding outcomes for writers who are ready to take the next step in their careers as showrunners.’
Scripted Ink’s Shane Brennan, also a key supporter of the initiative, described The Creators as the ‘premier career initiative for Australian screenwriters’, citing the showrunner role as central to ensuring story continuity and vision across production.
This year’s participants bring a broad range of credits across drama and comedy, both locally and internationally. Many cited the program’s focus on creative leadership and collaboration as a rare and valuable opportunity.
‘The power of storytelling to move and inspire audiences is needed more than ever,’ said Tamara Asmar. ‘I’m excited to see what everyone brings to the table and watch the evolution of the projects over the week.’
‘The Creators initiative is a dream opportunity,’ added Anna Barnes. ‘To learn from both international leaders and this group of writers is invaluable.’
Sarah Bassiuoni noted the potential for long-term industry impact: ‘It’s about making space for voices, leadership, and stories that reflect the full depth of who we are.’
The Creators is delivered in partnership with Scripted Ink and continues to address a need for structured career development pathways for Australian screenwriters in the industry.
Head to the Screen Australia website for more information and related career opportunities.
Also on ScreenHub: Inside the writer’s room
A writers’ room is something like the nerve centre of a scripted drama or comedy, a place where some combination of writers, producers, editors and developers come together to brainstorm the overall arc of a series and flesh out the plot of each episode.
Many playwrights, comedians and filmmakers aspire to break into the world of writers’ room, but they present challenges in adapting to someone else’s voice and working in a newly collaborative way. They can also be mysterious to the uninitiated and are notoriously tricky to break into.
We talk to four writers who have worked in a range of rooms, and who have taken different paths to these writing gigs, to discover how they found their way in and what they’ve learned.
Canadian-born, Melbourne-based comedian Jack Druce worked in the writers’ room for one of Australia’s biggest shows, the long-running current affairs program The Project. Colleagues from the stand-up scene recommended him for the gig, which involved writing jokes for the show’s stars, including Tommy Little and Peter Helliar. He initially came on board on a casual basis, filling in when full-timers were away, before landing a more permanent role.
Druce says adjusting to the pace and volume of the show was one of the main challenges. “When I first started, I was like: ‘Oh, I should have focused more on that story’, but when you get into the rhythm of the work, the show goes on, it’s done, and you’re onto the next one. It’s a unique situation in comedy writing; normally, there’s a lot more space to obsess about the details.”
Keep reading.
